As a colorist, O’Neil intuitively and methodically mixes and then dabs pigment-loaded brushes on raw canvas in a chorus of elaborate chromatic harmonies. Her compositions comprise wave-like color shifts of repetitive stippled brushwork, crashing, swirling and buzzing across the surface like static. The luminous canvases draw inspiration from nature and across works O’Neil captures Los Angeles twilight, contemplates spiraling geometry of shells, and interprets hypnotic formations of starlings, known as murmurations. Formally and conceptually the works hearken to California and west coast tradition of exploring light and color.
Gwen O’Neil (b. 1992, New York, NY) received her BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA. This solo exhibition follows recent presentations of O’Neil’s work by Anat Ebgi in group contexts including KIAF (Korea International Art Fair), Seoul, Korea; The Armory Show, New York NY; Felix Art Fair, Los Angeles, CA; and If you forget my name, You will go astray—at the gallery’s new Fountain Avenue location. O’Neil’s work is currently on view at the Long Beach Museum of Art in the group exhibition Color Fields. O’Neil lives and works in Los Angeles, CA.